Using the Numeracy Framework file to plan a term’s maths lessons - moving to and fro between programmes, planning grids, supplements of examples and from year to year - is a hassle. so three cheers to BBC Educational Publishing who have shifted the lot (bar the introduction) on to a CD-Rom that you can surf with ease.

From the opening menu, the obvious route is to click on a year group, a numeracy strand and then a topic. This results in a list of the topic objectives. Fine, but then what if you want to look quickly at the objectives for the years above and below? Or scan some examples? What makes this CD so powerful is the easy accessibility of all of its parts: from any section of the framework, you can instantly and intuitively click to any other part - or indeed to any other area of the CD-Rom - without having to return to the main menu. Teachers of mixed age classes will appreciate the ability to click from year to year.

The framework’s term planning grids are included with each year’s objectives. There are also templates for weekly and individual lesson plans, and sheets for assessing the key objectives. Everything is printable. Microsoft Word and ClarisWorks users - but unfortunately not others - have the added bonus of being able to copy and paste from objectives lists to planning grids.

A resource area describes key resources such as the number line and the number square, and suggests ways in which they can be used. And a management section provides case studies, with photographs, of classroom organisation for numeracy lessons.

In addition, there are literally hundreds of useful printable resources: vocabulary lists, flashcards, number lines, tracks and grids, numeral and place value cards, worksheets, games and activities.

Paul Harrison is a former primary head who writes primary maths books.